Transporting a gun on a plane

[Jack Package]

So I am currently stuck living in California and when I go home for Christmas I want to bring my brand new M1A (mainly so I can show it off to my friends)home to shoot at my house. I am flying home and know that I have to have it in a locked hard case and the weapon cant be touched unless its unlocked. So I was wondering how this whole process is going to work. Will it take hours for the TSA to do all there jazz screening the gun and I am guessing me. Is it to much of a pain in the rear that I should just not bother? Will it take hours? I just want to know if anyone else has gone through this and has any experience and tips. Thanks for any responses.

 

[buflow]

I travel by commercial air frequently with a firearm, not into or out of California. As stated a hard, locked case is required. I have not had any long delays. Call the airport you will fly into and out of and ask TSA if the state procedures are any different than airports outside of California and what they require.

 

[AZAndy]

Check the website of the airline you're using. Should be some pointers there. I've checked in with a firearm in Arizona and Ohio, and neither was much of a hassle. Took an extra five minutes while they had a look inside the case and filled out their form to stick on the outside. I didn't get asked a bunch of questions.

 

[jmace57]

I would advise you print out both the TSA rules...and the rules from the airline on which you are flying. There are wide variations in experience amongst the agents. I have had some treat it as routine, and one lady agent almost started hyperventilating. She felt a lot better when I handed her the rules.

 

[Cannibul]

Locked hard case. DO NOT USE A TSA APPROVED LOCK! Only YOU should have the key to the case.

Declare the firearm when you check in. It's pretty painless after that.

Be aware that after January 1st it's illegal to bring 10+ rounds into California. Even if you owned them before.

 

[psyopspec]

1) Approach counter, skipping the automated bag tag stations.

2) Politely inform the gate agent that you'll be needing a declaration tag for an unloaded firearm.

3) Sign card, place in case, lock case.

4) Sometimes they'll have you wait for TSA to clear your bag. Sometimes they won't. Rarely, you'll accompany a porter who will take the bag to the TSA station for inspection and wait there while they check it. That last one has only occurred to me in PHX, SFO, and DEN.

Because of those now-and-again instances of accompanying the bag, I like to arrive at the airport one hour and twenty minutes prior to departure if possible, although I've yet to miss a flight by showing up at the one-hour mark.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

This may sound like a dumb question but since this topic popped up I'll ask anyway. What happens to the gun after it and you are cleared, is it considered a carry on or luggage?

To clarify, I'm asking if you get to take it with you on the plane or if it gets thrown in with regular luggage that you hope shows up at your destination?

 

[Mainsail]

...and the weapon cant be touched unless its unlocked.

I don't know what you're trying to say here.

It's usually pretty painless. I've checked a handgun four times, only once did they want to look inside the case to even see if there was a gun inside. In that case it was the airline agent and someone came along and corrected him.

This may sound like a dumb question but since this topic popped up I'll ask anyway. What happens to the gun after it and you are cleared, is it considered a carry on or luggage?

To clarify, I'm asking if you get to take it with you on the plane or if it gets thrown in with regular luggage that you hope shows up at your destination?

You will not be taking a gun in your carry-on luggage; it'll be in the baggage compartment with the rest of the checked baggage.

 

[9mmepiphany]

So I was wondering how this whole process is going to work. Will it take hours for the TSA to do all there jazz screening the gun and I am guessing me. Is it to much of a pain in the rear that I should just not bother? Will it take hours? I just want to know if anyone else has gone through this and has any experience and tips

Since you don't have your location listed I'll have to generalize.

I've flown many times with different firearms out of many different airports and ones in CA really aren't any different. At least the ones in San Diego, LAX, and SMF aren't. I think it took me longer flying out of Columbus OH than any CA airport. Houston was the only airport that had me accompany the ticket agent to TSA screening.

It usually adds about 5-10 mins more once you get to the ticket counter...it is a little slower than just checking in at the curb, but I always arrive an hour before boarding anyway. Mostly depends on how long it takes you to fill out the declaration card. To be on the safe side, it isn't a bad idea to standby a few minutes in case TSA wants you to open the bag/case. Don't give anyone the keys to your locks, you have a right to be there when the open the case for inspection...this only happened to me in KY

What happens to the gun after it and you are cleared, is it considered a carry on or luggage?

Once you clear screening, your bag is loaded on the plane as checked baggage. There can be no indication on the outside of the bag that it contains a firearm. Some airlines do mark your bag for special handling and it won't come out on the carousel. You'll have to go to the Baggage Claim to pick it up

 

[Prince Yamato]

It's an uneventful procedure and nobody ever bats an eye when you do it. Follow advice above and relax.

 

[AirForceShooter]

This may sound like a dumb question but since this topic popped up I'll ask anyway. What happens to the gun after it and you are cleared, is it considered a carry on or luggage?

To clarify, I'm asking if you get to take it with you on the plane or if it gets thrown in with regular luggage that you hope shows up at your destination?

Goes in as baggage. You don't get to carry it.

Comes out at your destination with all the other bags

AFS

 

[MedWheeler]

Follow the advice above and things should be uneventful (assuming no lost luggage.)

This topic really should be stickied.

 

[highlander 5]

Back in the 80s I went Co for a vacation,decided to take a rifle with me . Packed in hard case declare rifle at ticket counter agent wants to see inside not thrilled with that idea considering there are state police wandering around the airport. Got that straightneed out the agent puts a big fluorescent tag on the case with the word "Firearm" I'm thinking why not put a sign that says "Steal Me". Obviously things have,improved greatly in the transportation of firearms on airplanes.

 

[AirForceShooter]

There isn't supposed to be anything on the outside of the container that indicates there's a gun inside.

The declaration goes inside.

If the TSA wants to reexamine that case they have to find you to open it.

AFS

 

[Jimster]

I've never had it come out with the regular luggage. I've always had to go pick it up from a special receiving area. St. Louis,Yuma and Phoenix.

 

[moonman16]

Get a VERY GOOD HARD CASE, baggage handlers have been known
to treat luggage with rough and disinterested abandon.
Sometime even throwing items onto the floor or tarmac.

 

[CoRoMo]

My experiences didn't add more than 90 seconds to the ticket counter, merely to sign and insert the orange card. Among the air-traveling gun owners that I know, most have had the uneventful experiences that I've had. One though, did have a bit of a circus at the Denver airport IIRC. I've flown into and out of California with firearms, handguns specifically.

Watch the video below.

 

[JohnBiltz]

In Phoenix you always have to walk with the bag to TSA to be inspected. They have some kind of X-ray scanner. I think its because they can't use dogs. Once I was on a very early flight and had to wait about ten minutes for TSA to open up. Another time some large team of competition shooters were ahead of me and they had a lot of guns and I mean a lot of guns. Cost me about a half an hour. Aside from that it normally takes about 5 minutes. Generally, not being able to use the pre-ticket lines costs more time than the inspection.